AMD FireStream 9250
AMD graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
AMDAMD FireStream 9250 Specifications
GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The AMD FireStream 9250 GPU core specifications define its raw processing power for graphics and compute workloads. Shading units (also called CUDA cores, stream processors, or execution units depending on manufacturer) handle the parallel calculations required for rendering. TMUs (Texture Mapping Units) process texture data, while ROPs (Render Output Units) handle final pixel output. Higher shader counts generally translate to better GPU benchmark performance, especially in demanding games and 3D applications.
FireStream 9250 Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the FireStream 9250's performance in GPU benchmarks and real-world gaming. The base clock represents the minimum guaranteed frequency, while the boost clock indicates peak performance under optimal thermal conditions. Memory clock speed affects texture loading and frame buffer operations. The FireStream 9250 by AMD dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
AMD's FireStream 9250 Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The FireStream 9250's memory capacity determines how well it handles high-resolution textures and multiple displays. Memory bandwidth, measured in GB/s, affects how quickly data moves between the GPU and VRAM. Higher bandwidth improves performance in memory-intensive scenarios like 4K gaming. The memory bus width and type (GDDR6, GDDR6X, HBM) significantly influence overall GPU benchmark scores.
FireStream 9250 by AMD Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the FireStream 9250, reducing the need to fetch data from slower VRAM. L1 and L2 caches store frequently accessed data close to the compute units. AMD's Infinity Cache (L3) dramatically increases effective bandwidth, improving GPU benchmark performance without requiring wider memory buses. Larger cache sizes help maintain high frame rates in memory-bound scenarios and reduce power consumption by minimizing VRAM accesses.
FireStream 9250 Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the AMD FireStream 9250 against other graphics cards. FP32 (single-precision) performance, measured in TFLOPS, indicates compute capability for gaming and general GPU workloads. FP64 (double-precision) matters for scientific computing. Pixel and texture fill rates determine how quickly the GPU can render complex scenes. While real-world GPU benchmark results depend on many factors, these specifications help predict relative performance levels.
TeraScale Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The AMD FireStream 9250 is built on AMD's TeraScale architecture, which defines how the GPU processes graphics and compute workloads. The manufacturing process node affects power efficiency, thermal characteristics, and maximum clock speeds. Smaller process nodes pack more transistors into the same die area, enabling higher performance per watt. Understanding the architecture helps predict how the FireStream 9250 will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the AMD FireStream 9250 determine PSU requirements and thermal management needs. TDP (Thermal Design Power) indicates the heat output under typical loads, guiding cooler selection. Power connector requirements ensure adequate power delivery for stable operation during demanding GPU benchmarks. The suggested PSU wattage accounts for the entire system, not just the graphics card. Efficient power delivery enables the FireStream 9250 to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
FireStream 9250 by AMD Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the AMD FireStream 9250 are critical for case compatibility. Card length, height, and slot width determine whether it fits in your chassis. The PCIe interface version affects bandwidth for communication with the CPU. Display outputs define monitor connectivity options, with modern cards supporting multiple high-resolution displays simultaneously. Verify these specifications against your case and motherboard before purchasing to ensure a proper fit.
AMD API Support
Graphics and compute APIs
API support determines which games and applications can fully utilize the AMD FireStream 9250. DirectX 12 Ultimate enables advanced features like ray tracing and variable rate shading. Vulkan provides cross-platform graphics capabilities with low-level hardware access. OpenGL remains important for professional applications and older games. CUDA (NVIDIA) and OpenCL enable GPU compute for video editing, 3D rendering, and scientific applications. Higher API versions unlock newer graphical features in GPU benchmarks and games.
FireStream 9250 Product Information
Release and pricing details
The AMD FireStream 9250 is manufactured by AMD as part of their graphics card lineup. Release date and launch pricing provide context for comparing GPU benchmark results with competing products from the same era. Understanding the product lifecycle helps evaluate whether the FireStream 9250 by AMD represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
About AMD FireStream 9250
AMD FireStream 9250 is a single-slot workstation card built on the 55 nm TeraScale architecture, featuring the RV770 chip with 956 million transistors on a 256 mm² die. It targets compute and professional visualization workloads from the 2008 era, offering 800 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs. With a 150 W TDP and a 6-pin power connector, this card sits in a specific power envelope that requires careful PSU planning, while its memory subsystem and feature set define its capabilities for legacy applications.
Power and Cooling
The AMD FireStream 9250 carries a TDP of 150 W, which is a moderate figure for a card of its generation. This power draw necessitates a single 6-pin power connector, and AMD recommends a system PSU of at least 450 W to ensure stable operation under full load. The card occupies a single slot, making it suitable for dense multi-GPU compute configurations where space is at a premium. Its physical dimensions are 234 mm in length and 111 mm in height, which is standard for a full-height, single-slot PCIe card.
The 150 W TDP means the card will generate noticeable heat under sustained compute loads, but the single-slot cooler included with the reference design is adequate for the RV770 chip at this power level. For system builders, the 450 W PSU recommendation is a baseline; adding multiple FireStream 9250 cards for parallel compute would require a proportionally larger PSU, though the exact figures for multi-card setups are not specified in the data. The PCIe 2.0 x16 bus interface draws additional power from the motherboard slot, but the bulk of the load is handled by the 6-pin connector. The 55 nm process node and 3.7M transistors per mm² density indicate a relatively power-efficient design for its time, but users should not expect modern efficiency levels. When installing, ensure the case has adequate front-to-back airflow to exhaust the heat from the single-slot cooler, especially in chassis with limited ventilation.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The AMD FireStream 9250 does not include dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as these are modern hardware features absent from the TeraScale architecture. Instead, the card relies on its 800 shading units for all graphics and compute tasks, executing workloads in a traditional unified shader model. The API support reflects its 2008 release window: DirectX 10.1 with shader model 10_1, and OpenGL 3.3. Vulkan is not supported, which limits the card to legacy applications and operating systems that still provide drivers for these older APIs.
The absence of ray tracing acceleration means any ray-traced workloads would run entirely on the shading units, resulting in poor performance compared to dedicated RT hardware. Similarly, the lack of tensor cores precludes any AI-accelerated features like DLSS or machine learning inference. For professional use, this card is limited to DirectX 10.1 and OpenGL 3.3 applications, which covers many CAD and scientific visualization tools from that era but excludes modern titles and software that require Vulkan or DirectX 12. The 10.1 pixel rate of 10.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 25.00 GTexel/s provide raw throughput for fill-rate-bound tasks, but the feature set is firmly rooted in its generation. Users should verify software compatibility before deployment, as the lack of Vulkan support is a hard limitation for any modern compute framework relying on that API.
How It Compares
The FACT PACK lists no nearest rivals for the AMD FireStream 9250, as the `nearestRivals` array is empty. The `percentileVsAllGpus` field indicates a score of 50, placing this card exactly at the median of all GPUs in the benchmark database. This percentile is derived from the `avgBenchmarkScore` of 0, which serves as a baseline reference point, though the lack of specific benchmark scores means direct numerical comparisons to other cards are not available from the provided data.
Without rival data, the FireStream 9250’s position is best understood through its architectural characteristics. As a TeraScale-era compute card, it sits alongside other professional workstation GPUs from the late 2000s, but specific performance deltas cannot be quantified. The 50th percentile ranking suggests it performs in the middle of the pack historically, neither a top-tier compute monster nor a low-end entry. Its 1,000.0 GFLOPS of FP32 compute is a solid figure for its time, but modern GPUs exceed this by orders of magnitude. The lack of FP16 support further narrows its applicability, as half-precision compute is unavailable. For legacy applications that rely on FP32 and OpenGL 3.3, this card remains functional, but any comparison to modern or even mid-2010s hardware would show significant gaps. The empty rival list means no specific competitor names or scores can be cited, so the analysis must rely on the percentile and raw specifications.
FAQ
Q: Does the AMD FireStream 9250 support Vulkan?
A: No, the card does not support Vulkan, as its API list only includes DirectX 10.1 (10_1) and OpenGL 3.3.
Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the FireStream 9250?
A: The card has a memory bandwidth of 63.55 GB/s, achieved with 1024 MB of GDDR3 memory on a 256-bit bus, running at 993 MHz (1986 Mbps effective).
Q: What power supply is recommended for this card?
A: AMD recommends a 450 W PSU, and the card requires a single 6-pin power connector.
Q: How many shading units does the FireStream 9250 have?
A: It has 800 shading units, along with 40 texture mapping units and 16 ROPs.
Q: Is the FireStream 9250 a single-slot card?
A: Yes, it occupies a single slot, with dimensions of 234 mm in length and 111 mm in height.
Q: What is the FP32 performance of this card?
A: The card delivers 1,000.0 GFLOPS of FP32 compute performance, with no FP16 support listed.
Who Should Consider It
The AMD FireStream 9250 is a niche product suited for users running legacy compute or professional visualization workloads that require OpenGL 3.3 or DirectX 10.1. Its 50th percentile ranking among all GPUs indicates it is a mid-tier performer historically, but the lack of modern API support and compute features limits its relevance. For 1080p gaming or general desktop use, the card is outdated, and its 1,000.0 GFLOPS FP32 performance is dwarfed by integrated graphics in modern CPUs. However, for maintaining a legacy system that must run specific scientific or CAD software from the early 2000s, the FireStream 9250 offers 800 shading units and a 256-bit memory bus, which can handle moderate geometry and texturing loads.
At 1024 MB of GDDR3 memory, the card is adequate for 1080p textures in older titles but will hit memory limits with modern high-resolution texture packs. The 63.55 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for its era but restricts performance at higher resolutions like 1440p or 4K, where bandwidth and VRAM capacity become bottlenecks. Users considering this card should have a clear need for its specific API support and compute profile; otherwise, a newer GPU with Vulkan and DirectX 12 support would be a more practical choice. The card’s single-slot design and 150 W TDP make it easy to install in most systems, but the 450 W PSU recommendation should be respected for stability. In short, this is a card for preservationists and specific industrial applications, not for modern gaming or general-purpose use.
Memory Subsystem
The FireStream 9250 is equipped with 1024 MB of GDDR3 memory, which was a standard capacity for high-end cards in 2008. The memory operates at 993 MHz, translating to an effective data rate of 1986 Mbps, and is connected via a 256-bit bus. This configuration yields a memory bandwidth of 63.55 GB/s. For high-resolution workloads, the 1 GB VRAM capacity is the primary limitation, as modern textures and compute buffers quickly exceed this amount. At 1080p, the capacity is workable for older applications, but at 1440p or 4K, the card will struggle to hold necessary framebuffers and geometry data, causing significant performance degradation or outright failure to render complex scenes.
The 256-bit bus width is respectable for its generation, providing a balanced memory interface that complements the 800 shading units. The 63.55 GB/s bandwidth allows the card to feed its compute units at a reasonable rate for FP32 operations, but it is far below modern standards where bandwidth exceeds 500 GB/s. For compute tasks that are memory-bound, the FireStream 9250 will underperform relative to its compute rating, as the bandwidth-to-FLOPS ratio is not ideal. The GDDR3 type is also slower and less efficient than GDDR5 or GDDR6, further limiting sustained throughput. In practical terms, this memory subsystem supports 1080p gaming at medium settings from its era and basic scientific compute, but it cannot handle modern high-resolution textures or large datasets. The 10.00 GPixel/s pixel rate and 25.00 GTexel/s texture rate are consistent with the memory bandwidth, meaning the card is balanced for its time but not expandable in any way. Users must accept these memory constraints as fixed, as there is no option to increase VRAM or bandwidth.
Detailed benchmark scores and charts for the AMD FireStream 9250 are below.
Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
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